However, just like when he first won in 2003 when he shared the title with David Toms, Harrington was joint winner - this time with Jonathan Byrd - after the pair returned five-under-par 22 over nine holes.

Moreover, the competition remained incomplete as the threat of lightning forced play to be abandoned at around 3.30pm local time with many players still on the course.

What it means again, though, is that Harrington will have to beat a jinx to become Masters champion on Sunday.

Since the par three event started in 1960, nobody has lifted that crown and then won the event proper as well four days later.

Harrington went round with his sons Patrick (eight) and Ciaran (four), as well as Japan's Ryo Ishikawa and American amateur Patrick Cantlay.

"This is my 13th time playing it and the least amount of wind, so the scoring was on," he said. "The whole thing is memorable. I didn't hit anything stone dead or anything like that."

Lee Westwood and Thomas Bjorn had television presenters Ant and Dec - Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly - carrying their bags, with Bjorn finishing with a hole-in-one.

American Mark Wilson also had an ace, at the 130-yard fourth.